How Will I Know I Have Cardiomyopathy?

You may have some, or all of the following tests:

Chest x-ray is done to get a picture of the heart size and lungs.

Electrocardiogram (EKG) records the heart's electrical activity. Abnormal heartbeats, areas of damage, and heart enlargement can be found from this test.

Muga Scan is a test done with radioactive material injected into a vein. A special scanning camera makes pictures of the blood moving through the heart. It will show problems with the heart muscle and/or the valves of the heart.

Cardiac Catheterization is a procedure done with a catheter. The catheter is inserted into a vein or artery and threaded into the heart. This test measures the pressures in the heart, the pumping ability of the heart, the blood flow in the heart and coronary arteries and sometimes the electrical activity of the heart. A heart muscle biopsy may be done during the catheterization to find the cause of the cardiomyopathy.